Your Guide To An Effective Root Canal Treatment

When we talk about a root canal, the first thing that comes to mind is that it’s excruciating. But nobody ever thinks about what benefits this challenging procedure provides. It is our way to get quick relief from a disturbing toothache. 

This endodontic procedure involves removing the cavity from the tooth pulp. Even though this sounds scary, this is very effective in restoring your infected teeth, which get damaged crucially with time. 

But since it’s a vast procedure, this much detail is insufficient. So here’s all the information provided by a professional dentist in Farmington that’ll help you understand root canals fully. Let’s check it out! 

What Is A Root Canal?

Root Canal is a treatment that helps eliminate a bad toothache due to infection. It involves a unique technique by which the condition in the pulp is removed. Once done, the surrounding areas are disinfected, and the gap left is filled with a particular filling.

When Do You Know That You Need A Root Canal?

According to this dentist in Ballantyne, this treatment becomes necessary when dental caries start affecting the pulp. Sometimes, people are still in the dark about how they got this infection. But, there are a few symptoms that no one should ignore. 

What are these symptoms? Let’s check it out in the following section:

1. Ever-lasting toothache spreads to the jaw, surrounding teeth, and even the face. 
2. The toothache aggregates on eating or drinking anything hot or cold. 
3. Sometimes there is a pus collection as well. 
4. Occasionally, there might be pimples like outgrowths on the gums. 
5. The infected tooth may show discoloration. Or there’s a crack that is most likely very common after a sudden accidental injury.
6. The tooth might come out as it’s already damaged with infection.

Listed above were different symptoms that direct the need for root canal treatment. Now that we have an idea let’s look at the preparatory phase to get started with the treatment in the next section. 

Preparatory Phase Post A Root Canal Treatment

The patient might often have questions about what he should or shouldn’t do before the root canal procedure. 

Here’s a list of what the patient should avoid and what they should follow.

1. First and foremost is to stop smoking so the body retains its healing ability. 
2. If the infection spreads to a certain degree, the patient must take antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs.
3. It is essential to have a balanced nutritious meal before undergoing surgery. 

Next, let’s look at the detailed procedure for root canal treatment.

Root Canal Procedure In A Detailed Manner

At first, the doctor looks at the patient’s tooth x-ray to understand the extent of the infection. Then, once he gets assured of how he could provide the best treatment possible for the particular case, he gets started with the actual treatment procedure.

Step 1:

The initial process involves the administration of local anesthesia, which impairs the senses of the particular area that gets affected during the surgery. Then, in case of anxiety, the dentist prescribes anti-anxiety drugs, including nitrous oxide and sedatives given through the oral or intravenous route. 

Step 2:

As the local anesthesia starts, a dam mainly made of rubber is fitted on the tooth. This dam helps to keep the tooth separated and maintains a dry environment while the surgery takes place. 

Step 3:

As the former steps wrap up, the dentist makes a small hole in the crown of the teeth. This hole gives the dentist quick access to reach the pulp. Once done, the dentist clears all the nerves, tissues, and blood vessels inside the infected pulp. 

Step 4:

Post the pulp removal, the dentist cleans up the infected area. The cleaning is followed by disinfection and shaping of the damaged enamel.

Step 6:

Then the gap left is sealed off using a unique filling made up of a material named Gutta-Percha. It has a rubbery consistency which provides broad flexibility to the filling. This filing helps to avoid the recurrence of infection.

Step 7:

Most of the time, the patient needs an artificial dental crown to return to normal. But, they have to wait until the new crown is ready to implode, after which the filling gets removed and replaced by the artificial one. 

Post Operative Care

If you think you are all set once you finish the procedure, that’s not the reality. Taking care of your teeth after the surgery is even more challenging. So, here are some dos and don’ts that will help you to get successful post-surgical care for your teeth.

• Avoid eating any hot food as it may heighten your nervous senses.
• Don’t get involved in training exercises. 
• Don’t consume spicy food items or alcohol for a day after the treatment procedure. 
• Avoid tobacco for a couple of days.
• In case pain occurs, switch to painkillers.
• Gentle brushing and rinsing the mouth with salt water might help.

Now You Know!

With this, we come to the end of our detailed blog about the root canal treatment process. Remember, having a root canal treatment might sound intimidating, but it provides added life to your deteriorating dental health.